


A well intended treachery

by Raptarion



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 06:09:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6272890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raptarion/pseuds/Raptarion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A pearl is not made to fight. It is made to look pretty. To deviate from this is to insult the entire hierarchy of gem society.</p><p>But is it not a gem's first duty to serve her Diamond to the best of their ability? If one can fight for their Diamond, surely it is their obligation to do so.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A well intended treachery

It wasn't dark. It wasn't silent. Because if it was either of those things it would imply she had eyes to sense the lack of light. Ears to sense the lack of sound. But it was not nothingness either. Else she could not contemplate how different this was from darkness and silence. Nor would she be able to fear her punishment.

Surely she would be shattered.  
\--------------------------------------------------  
The sound of metal clanging against metal rings throughout the court. Screams. Both of fear, and of intimidation. The higher members of court were withdrawing. They would be punished for abandoning their Diamond in this time of crisis. The lucky would be shattered. The unlucky would suffer far crueler punishments that her Diamond had devised in her spare time. They would deserve their fate of course. But she couldn't dwell on that now. She was too busy watching the battle unfold before her eyes.

There was a fusion abomination drawing most of the attention of the guards. Along with several smaller abominations scattered throughout the hall. There was a Jasper near the front lines of the invading force. Next to the abominations, she seemed to be the main rallying point for all the weaker gems. Being built for fighting, she stood out from the crowd. She was tall and broad in build, while the others were small and spindly like herself.

The loyal guards who stood between the invaders and their Diamond were losing. They should retreat. But one of the palanquin throne's leg had been destroyed by a well placed attack from the largest abomination. The stone they had thrown now supported the weight of the throne as it leaned awkwardly to one side. Pearl took some pride in managing to keep her posture almost perfectly during the violent shift of the palanquin, with only a slight misstep to keep her balance.

She looks back up to her Diamond. She was furious. Her soldiers were failing. Her court was running. And to retreat on foot would shame her. If her Diamond was forced to fight, she would be in a cross mood for weeks to come. She hoped it would not come to that. This petty rebellion was not worth her Diamond dirtying her own hands over.  
\--------------------------------------------------  
She wasn't focusing as much on regenerating as she should. She didn't exactly anticipate her fate. But she also knew it would be a great insult to keep her Diamond waiting. And whatever her fate, she knew it could only become worse by further slighting her Diamond. So she worked on reconstructing her form. If only a little bit at a time.

She then felt a pressure. As much as she could feel in this form anyway. She briefly felt fear. Her Diamond was probably having her crushed into powder. She would be gone soon. And then she would know true nothingness.  
But the nothing never came. And the pressure disappeared. She redoubles her efforts to construct her body. She struggled to not reform too quickly once she had the basic shape. The only greater insult she could think to do at this point, other than taking too long, was to reform before her Diamond with a glaring defect.  
\--------------------------------------------------  
There was a gap in the ranks of guard that the Jasper pressed. Her and a small group of smaller warriors made their way towards her and her Diamond. The Jasper was leaving the others behind, doubtlessly desperate for the honor of killing Blue Diamond herself. She saw the Diamond begin to stand in her peripheral vision.

She doesn't hesitate. She knows she shouldn't to this. It was not her duty to fight. But she couldn't stand to watch her Diamond demean herself like this. Even if it meant stepping out of line. And so she charges forward to meet the Jasper.  
Jasper doesn't seem at all phased by the sight of a Pearl charging to face her in battle. She fought alongside other gems who were unsuited for combat after all. But she still seemed smug. She didn't consider her a threat. She had her ax, and Pearl had nothing. Or at least, that's how it would appear. It wasn't until they were mere steps away from each other that Pearl's gem glowed. A sword comes out. She had gone to great pains to obtain this weapon in secret, and had kept it hidden away for years. This, even more than attempting to fight, was her greatest treachery. To have kept a hidden weapon on her person in the presence of her Diamond. And now it was revealed, and her fate was sealed. If she wasn't shattered in the fight to come, she surely would be later. But none of this mattered. She was glad to die for her Diamond. She just hoped she could be of use first.

The Jasper was easier to beat than Pearl would have dared to dream. Her attacks were fast, and if one had landed she would have surely lost. But Pearl had been watching her fight for several minutes. And she had gotten a feel for her attacks in that time. She danced nimbly out of the way of several swings. And when the Jasper got frustrated, she wound up for a stronger attack in her fury. This was the mistake that cost her the battle. Pearl leaps forward to close the gap, cutting through the Jasper's torso. In a puff of white smoke she was gone, her gem clattering to the tile below.

Her victory was short lived, as the other gems that had been following the Jasper arrive. She is pulled into a desperate struggle. Blades swing to cut her down. They are deflected, or blocked, or dodged. She finds herself surrounded and desperately spinning to keep up with each of her opponents. She cuts down one. Then another. And then she feels pain overwhelm her as she feels cold metal pierce her back. She looks down, her vision swimming, barely able to comprehend the blade piercing through her torso. Then she sees her Diamond standing up again. She tries to call out to her. Tell her not to trouble herself with these pathetic gems. But she couldn't. Because her form dissipates at that moment.  
\--------------------------------------------------  
Her senses return as she reforms. She is looking to the ground, her head bowed respectfully. She awaits her reprimands. For not reforming sooner. For fighting when it was not her role. For concealing a weapon. When the voice of her Diamond comes, it does not scold her though. It sounded as she always did. Her voice weighed on her like a vast ocean. It was the most comforting sound in the world.

"Where did you get this sword?" Her Diamond asks. Pearl dares to look up at this question. The sword she had managed to smuggle was held in her Diamond's fingers. It looked so small in her hands.  
"You remember the spy I discovered in our ranks. I did not reveal them to you as soon as I discovered them. I befriended them, and convinced them I was willing to commit treason for the rebellion. I convinced her to smuggle a weapon in for me." She admits.  
"So this blade was meant to kill me?" Her Diamond asks. She seems amused by the concept. She should be. As if Pearl could slay her Diamond with such a pitiful blade.  
"I only ever intended to use it to serve you my Diamond." She assures.  
"And where did you learn to fight as you did?" Her Diamond asks.  
"It was easier to think of it as dancing. I simply altered my style of dance I was already comfortable with." She explains.  
"Very clever." Her Diamond praises. Pearl could hardly believe her ears. To be complimented for her treason was something she could scarcely believe was a possibility.

Blue Diamond pinches the flat of the blade between two fingers and holds it out to her. Pearl hesitates before reaching out slowly and taking the blade.  
"If you are to continue acting as my guard, you must learn how to use this properly. You will begin training with this weapon vigorously. You will become a master of it, training every day under my best soldiers." She explains.  
"What?" Pearl asks, baffled by what she just heard. "I'm... not being punished?"  
"No. You have served me well, and proven yourself to be among my most loyal servants. This is to be rewarded. You wish to fight for me? Then you will learn to fight with the best of them." She says.  
"I... I've never been so happy. So honored. In all my centuries of life. I swear that I will not disappoint you my Diamond." Pearl says with a deep bow.  
"I know you won't, my Pearl." Her Diamond replies.


End file.
